“And that’s... how you do it, uh, I think,” Minghao tilts his head as the lion Jihoon created from the mist starts running towards the group of girls who were there to watch (well, watch Junhui, of course). Junhui yawns and walks over to where Minghao and Jihoon are standing.

The girls, forgetting that it’s just mist, squeals as they run away.

Okay, Jihoon surrenders. He may not be a child of Nike, but victory was always on his side. He, not to be bragging, is a man with many talents—he can sing, write, is great at archery, sword-fighting, rock climbing, and not to mention, always acing his tests and is on top of his classes.

But manipulation of mist—that’s something he can’t do. He doesn’t get it. When Minghao wants him to manipulate the mist to form a flower clone (because it’s “easier”), he gets a lion instead.

“I’ll try again,” he promises.

Minghao hums in reply and points to the lion. “But what about that—”

Jihoon sighs. “I’ll go get it before Chiron sees it.”

With that, he sprints away. Junhui claps dramatically as if he just came from out of the shadows (he didn’t, obviously, he’s no child of Hades).

“Well done, teacher. You taught him to form a lion instead of another flower.”

“Good morning,guys!” Jeonghan, Junhui’s half-sibling and the epitome of the word crush (crush like crush, and not crush like… destroy. Depends on how campers use the word, anyways) of many campers, greets before jogging up to them. Behind him, they can see Soonyoung playfully swinging his sword left and right. “Are you practicing mist manipulation?”

“Yeah,” Junhui answers, “Minghao is teaching Jihoon.”

“Where is he, though?” Soonyoung looks around. He’s always the first to ask for Jihoon.

“Finding the lion.”

Soonyoung sputters. “Wha— Lion?”

Jeonghan doesn’t seem to be bothered by that statement. “What were you guys trying to do?”

“Clone another flower.”

“Another what?”

Junhui winks, “Another you.” Jeonghan points at him, all smug, as if to say that’s my brother, right there. Junhui turns to his boyfriend who looks worried, about Jihoon, the lion and… well, his teaching skills. “Anyways, babe, I think—”

“At least he’s improving!” Minghao flairs his arms around before glaring at Junhui, “I don’t see you improving in mist manipulation.”

Junhui puffs out his cheeks and stares at his boyfriend while thinking—He thinks he’s all that. Look at that glare. Oh, he’s so cute. Wanna boop his nose. And kiss him. Wait, where was I? Oh, yeah. I have something up my sleeves, too—then smirks. “Check this out.”

He thinks for a moment, then snaps his fingers. The snap sounds louder and as if in a trance, the others slowly shake their heads. They blinked. Even Minghao looks bemused.

He stares at Junhui suspiciously. “What did you do?”

Junhui motions his hand dramatically towards the arena. “Somewhere over there, Seungcheol thinks he accidentally killed his opponent.”

“What?” Jeonghan shrieks.

The other had the audacity to laugh. “I’m joking. Don’t get your in a twist. I simply made a Seungcheol clone.”

Minghao raises both his eyebrows. Jeonghan’s left eye twitches. “Where?”

“Um, I’m not sure,” Junhui rubs his neck nervously.

Jeonghan looked like he was about to er punch Junhui into space but decided not to at the last minute because the murderous look on his face disappears the second it appeared. Junhui visibly gulps. “You’re lucky you’re my half-brother.”

He leaves to find the real Seungcheol and the clone.

Jihoon comes back with the lion, asking Jeonghan on the way why he looked like he’s about to stab someone. The child of Aphrodite points to Junhui as if he was the reason why the world has problems. Junhui sticks out his tongue.

Soonyoung, who hasn’t said a word since the snap, smiles at Jihoon. “There you are.”

“Here I am,” Jihoon smiles before motioning to the yawning lion. “So how do I, um, re-manipulate this thing back?”

Before Minghao could answer, Soonyoung coos, “Babe, you didn’t even greet me.”

Everybody furrows their eyebrows before turning their heads to him.

Now, don’t get him wrong. Soonyoung may called him names in the past to but babe was not one of them. The closest to that was cutie and that was a whole different story. A painful one.

“Babe?” Jihoon coughs.

Soonyoung pouts. “No kisses, too. I’m hurt.”

Junhui and Minghao looks scandalized. Junhui is the first to react, an I’ve-won-the-lottery grin appears on his face, “Hold on—I didn’t know you two are dating! The Aphrodite cabin is usually the first to find out.”

Minghao jabs at his ribs. “You gossip about other people’s relationships?”

“Duh, our mom does that. It’s what we do. You have no idea what goes on in Olympus.”

“Babe, believe me I do—”

“Wait, what the— me, Soonyoung, dating?” Jihoon asks, eyes wide and heart beating a little too fast. As if those words were even possible to be constructed and used in a sentence like… that.

He flinches when somebody’s sneaky arms wrap around his waist. Junhui looks like he’s about to faint. Minghao rolls his eyes because gods damn, Junhui, stop getting excited over everyone’s relationships.

“Yeah. Dating, as in you’re my boyfriend and I love you.”

Junhui doesn’t faint.

Jihoon does.

 

*

 

The moment Jihoon wakes up, already familiar with the infirmary’s ceiling, he stands up and dashes out, ignoring his half-sister shouting and the throbbing headache he’s supporting. He runs, runs, runs and when he reaches the Aphrodite cabin, he knocks the door a little too hard that he almost breaks it down.

“Where the hell is Junhui?” he growls when Mingyu opens the door.

Mingyu takes a deep breath. He feels so intimidated by Jihoon, everyone is, and he’s not going to deny that but Junhui told him to just shut up when Jihoon comes asking for him.

(Would he betray his half-brother?)

“He’s avoiding you,” he deadpans.

(Oh, yes, he would.)

Jihoon clenches his fist. “Of course.”

The throbbing in his head gets more painful by the minute and Mingyu notices it from his face. “You okay, hyung?”

Before Jihoon could say something of the words it’s fine, just a headache, Jeonghan is there to greet him with his hand in Seungcheol’s, and Seungcheol looks tired—very tired. “I found the clone.”

“Hannie, for the last time, I’m not a c—”

“Be quiet, imposter,” Jeonghan brings a finger to his lips and Seungcheol rolls his eyes.

Jihoon sighs. “That’s the real Seungcheol. There is no clone. Junhui ed up with the mist.”

“Why would real Seungcheol flirt with another camper when he has Jeonghan hyung?” Mingyu asks, still by the door, looking puzzled.

“Exactly!” Jeonghan exclaims before realizing. “Wait—flirt with another camper?”

Jihoon rubs at his temple, “I have to wait for dinner, then. Junhui can’t avoid that.”

Then, he hears someone singing his own song. A few feet away from him, he can see Soonyoung holding a basket and walking towards him with a smile that tugs at Jihoon’s heartstrings. “Jihoonie,” he sing-songs, “the actual love of my life. I’ve got you strawberries.”

“Lord Apollo, please help,” Jihoon whispers.

“Love of...? Oh! There were rumours about you dating. You never told us. How could you?” Jeonghan feigns being hurt and for a minute, Seungcheol thought he forgot about the flirting incident, which by the way, never even happened.

“We’re not dating,” Jihoon grits his teeth and leaves no room for more stupid questions.

Stupid headache.

When he tries to walk away, he stumbles and would have fallen if Soonyoung wasn’t there to grab his wrist, the other hand supporting at his waist.

“You should rest,” Soonyoung says and Jihoon’s heart skips a beat.

“I have archery practice.”

“Rest,” he insists and Jihoon gives in. Soonyoung smells like strawberries, he notices. Or maybe that was the strawberries. Maybe both?

(No, he did not lean on Soonyoung as he guided him towards the Apollo cabin and no, he wasn’t trying to supress a smile.)

Jeonghan coos at them before turning to Seungcheol, “So about the flirting?”

His boyfriend face-palms.

 

*

 

When Jihoon sits down at the Aphrodite table, almost everyone gasps. Junhui’s half-siblings, both curious and frightened, either keeps their distance or leans in to listen to what he was about to say. One of them at the end is edging at his seat, trying not to fall off from all the scooting.

Junhui sits up straight, already expecting this and clears his throat. “Good evening, Jihoon. What brings you here on this lovely—”

“Shut it, literal epitome of the word vein.”

“Gods,” Junhui’s eyes widens and clutches at his heart, “really, Jihoon. Too much?”

Jihoon stares at him.

Unlike the two, Jeonghan can sense the tension and is aware of the stares not only from his half-siblings but also from the other tables. He coughs, trying to bring their attention on him. “Uh, Jihoon-ah, you’re not supposed to sit here during dinner.”

Jihoon ignores him and continues to stare deadly at Junhui. “What did you do?”

“What did I do?” Junhui looks accused before he squints his eyes in confusion. “What did I do?”

The child of Apollo slams the table in frustration. “You know what you did! You didn’t make a Seungcheol clone, you made Soonyoung think he’s in love with me.”

All hell breaks loose at the Aphrodite table. They gasped and started bombarding Junhui with questions like he just committed the greatest crime of all.

Even Jeonghan has a question for him. “Wait, so there is no Seungcheol clone?”

(Apparently, it was ignore-Jeonghan-day.)

Junhui motions his hand like a legendary idol trying to settle down his star-struck audience. “Okay, okay, okay. Even if I did that, which is amazing—Minghao would be so proud—why are you so angry about it? Don’t you like him too?”

His half-siblings lean in closer, waiting for an answer. Jihoon looks down.

“I… I don’t need to tell you an answer for that.”

“Oh, you don’t need to,” Junhui smirks, “I already know. I’m the best at reading emotions, isn’t that right, boys and girls?”

He gets a chorus of yes and Jihoon’s jaw clenches.

“How long will this last? Soonyoung thinking he’s in love with me, I mean.”

Junhui hums. “I’ve never done anything like this before. He’s still clearly in love. I guess the mist will wear off in a few days—or weeks, if you’re lucky.”

“Can’t you just… re-manipulate it now?”

“My dear friend, I’m not that good. Maybe ask the Hecate campers? Until then, have a wonderful time with your boyfriend.”

Chiron walks over and asks Jihoon to go back to the Apollo table and advices the Aphrodite cabin to keep the talking (and squealing and gossiping) to a bare minimum.

 

*

 

Nothing happens for a few days and Jihoon wants to fight himself for letting his guard down a little too early.

 

During lunch one afternoon, Soonyoung takes his hand, intertwines their fingers and before Jihoon is given the time to react, Soonyoung tells him to answer his cabin door later at night.

Jihoon opens his mouth to ask why the Hades would someone knock on his cabin door? but Soonyoung is already swept away by the Nike cabin (because they absolutely adore him).

 

Though, Jihoon does as he’s told. Plus, he didn’t want to wake his half-siblings in the middle of the night from the frantic knocking, or risk one of his half-siblings answering the door.

When he opens the door, he sees who he expected—Kwon Soonyoung, pyjamas and all. Jihoon leans against the door frame.

“What can I help you with at this fine hour?”

Soonyoung chuckles at the sarcasm in his tone. “I’m glad you actually opened the door.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I only sensed sarcasm.”

“Fine. What is it?”

Soonyoung shrugs. “I just thought it’s a good night to look at the stars by the beach.”

“What the hell,” Jihoon deadpans. “You told me to open my cabin door at almost dawn hours, risked your life tip-toeing here just to have me sneak out with you to look at the stars?”

“Pretty much. Do you want to go?”

If Soonyoung wasn’t under the influence of the mist, then he would definitely say yes without hesitation.

But he is, and that hurts because this isn’t Soonyoung. This is Soonyoung who thinks he’s in love with him.

“We are going to die. If we get caught sneaking—”

Soonyoung snorts. “You went through, like, hundreds of quests far harsher.”

“Hundreds is a little exaggerating, don’t you think?”

“Come on, the stars are so pretty tonight.”

Jihoon takes a glance inside his cabin to make sure none of his half-siblings woke up. He looks at Soonyoung again. “I can see the stars any other night.”

“Yeah, but stars in summer nights, with a view from the beach? Nothing could beat that.”

Jihoon ponders for a moment. Soonyoung would totally sneak him out even when he’s not in love—even when he’s not under mist manipulation—because that’s who Soonyoung is.

that, he thinks. If he’s going to have a taste of what being loved romantically by the boy he gave his heart to, then he’s going to bask in every experience.

He turns around to have one last look at the cabin, breathes in and out, then nods at Soonyoung.

 

“See? Knew you would like it.”

The waves meet the sand at a seven-seconds interval, Jihoon counted, and the moon is brighter than usual so he could see even in the dark. The way the night illuminates the world is so different, Jihoon can’t get over it.

He keeps looking back, afraid they might get caught. Soonyoung doesn’t seem to be bothered, he’s softly singing under his breath—when the universe was first made… everything has been decided… just let me love you…

His arm keeps bumping into Soonyoung’s and the skin contact makes him feel like he’s burning.

“This is so… Gods, I’m cringing,” he says because he wants to talk. He wants Soonyoung to talk to him.

“Why?” Soonyoung stops, and motions at a huge tree log. He takes a sit before patting the space next to him, beckoning Jihoon to sit.

“Jeonghan and Seungcheol stargaze most of the nights here at camp, too.”

“They’re cute.”

“Gag me.”

Soonyoung laughs. Jihoon likes his laugh.

“But you must admit,” Soonyoung begins, “stars are super cool. Well, the galaxy in general. Like, there’s a vast, infinite area out there and stars are actual proof of it… and we can… like… see it, you know?”

He sounds so awed and Jihoon’s heart melts. “But they’re intangible.”

“Intangible things can be beautiful, too.”

Jihoon smiles. “I never said they couldn’t.”

It’s quiet. The stars are gazing at them, too.

“What about people who are intangible?” Soonyoung asks and even though he knows it’s not really a personal question, he can’t help but feel like it is.

“What do you mean, people who are intangible?” then he laughs. “God, how many times did we say that word—intangible, intangible, intangible.”

They laughed, a little loud.

“People who are…” Jihoon giggles, “intangible. Like?”

“Like…” Soonyoung hums.

“Like Jeonghan in the morning when he hasn’t had his coffee yet?”

This time, they laughed a little louder than expected. They shush each other and moves in closer to each other, leaning in, being in each one’s spaces. Jihoon feels like it’s only the two of them in the world.

“I think people should only love what is tangible,” he says.

Soonyoung blinks. “Why?”

“’Cause even though the intangible is beautiful, sometimes arguably even more, there is a reason why they are… intangible. I mean, they can’t be… obtained. You know?”

Soonyoung looks at the stars then back at Jihoon and tries to understand. Jihoon doesn’t blame him if he doesn’t.

Stupid Junhui and his stupid mist.

 

*

 

Jihoon hates the activities at Camp Half-Blood.

Sure, he likes the campfires and fireworks and singing, and yeah, he likes playing with his friends, it’s fun and a little competition never hurts (it sometimes does), the thrill of winning and all that (Gods, he’s starting to sound like a Nike kid—specifically Chan) but he doesn’t like losing or getting injured or—

“Jihoon!”

Oh, great.

Jihoon is sitting by the creak in front of the Climbing Wall when, you guessed it, Soonyoung comes into full view—worried etched on his face and he’s panting because Jihoon knows he ran the second he heard of Jihoon’s small accident.

He tries to hide the smile but Gods, thinking about it makes him laugh a little.

“Oh Gods, you fell so hard you went bonkers.”

Jihoon laughs harder. “Who the hell says ‘bonkers’ nowadays? Old man Soonyoung, indeed.”

Soonyoung smiles before crouching down to Jihoon’s level. “Are you really hurt? In major pain?”

“No,” Jihoon shakes his head. “I’m fine. I’m waiting for one of my siblings to help me—to go the infirmary, that is. Because my leg… it’s broken.”

The other gasps. “But you said you weren’t in pain!”

“In major pain,” Jihoon corrects. “I’m still feeling okay.”

Soonyoung takes a few seconds to think and Jihoon opens his mouth to say something when Soonyoung turns around so his back faces the other. “I’ll carry you.”

“What?”

“Hop on my back—I’ll carry you.”

“I heard you the first time, oh Son of Nike,” he exasperated.There’s no use in denying Soonyoung’s offer. Plus, his half-siblings should still be doing individual activities and chores and he really doesn’t want to sit here all day, with a throbbing leg, looking all lonely.

At least, he gets to play the guitar at the infirmary. Seokmin is there, too (he gets into a lot of accidents—careless boy).

“Okay,” he says, before getting on Soonyoung’s back and not a second too soon, Soonyoung stands up with ease and starts heading towards the infirmary.

It’s a silent walk, but not uncomforting. Being this close, he can confrim that Soonyoung really does smell like strawberries. Jihoon tries not to be obvious when taking a sniff (maybe more).

When Minghao walks past them, he asks, “Is he still under the mist?” He asks like he’s asking if he’s under the weather?

“I don’t know. Hey, Soonyoung, are you in love with me?”

“Always.”

Jihoon frowns. “I guess that’s a ‘yes’ to your question, Minghao.”

“Good,” then, “Oh no—not good good. I contacted Joshua and told him about your…” he motions to Soonyoung, “problem and he thinks he’ll be able to fix it.”

Something breaks inside of him. Fix it—that means Soonyoung won’t be clinging to him anymore, and he won’t get free strawberries. Soonyoung won’t love him, anymore. Jihoon sighs. As if he was even in love before the mist manipulation. “Joshua? Isn’t he the Son of Poseidon or something? Why would he think he’ll be able to fix my mist problem?”

“Just because he’s Poseidon’s kid doesn’t mean he can’t manipulate mist. I heard he’s one of the best—well, at least, that’s what my half-sisters are saying.”

“Uh, right,” he nods. “Thanks.”

“See you.”

 

They can see the infirmary now.

“You’re so light, Jihoonie,” and that’s the first thing Soonyoung says after meeting Minghao, “are you eating enough?”

“Yeah,” Jihoon lowers his head on the top of the other’s, “Soonyoung?”

He hums as a reply.

“Please don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Asking me—as if you’re truly worried about me. You’re not really in love with me, remember?”

Soonyoung goes silent. Then, “Friends worry for their friends, too.”

“Not in the way I do for you.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” Jihoon doesn’t even want to know if Soonyoung actually heard it or if he’s pretending that he didn’t. Both answers will probably hurt him. “My leg is hurting too much.”

 

*

 

“Jihoon.”

“Hm?”

“I have a question.”

He looks up to see one of his half-siblings twirling her hair between her fingers and he knows she’s nervous because this is a habit of hers. Others include panic-singing, and drinking too much water.

He’s suddenly wary. “Something wrong?”

“Are you really dating Soonyoung, from the Nike cabin?” the question comes in barrelling and fast.

Jihoon looks away. “Junhui ed up and here we are.”

“So, is that a yes or a no?” She sounds so amused. Well, that’s better than being nervous.

“You’re going to tease me for any answer I give, anyways.”

She laughs. “Whatever the answer is—we’re by your side, all of us. We’re glad that you’ve become happier these days… like it’s not forced. It’s a really pleasant change, you know?”

Jihoon tries for a smile, and she pats his back. A silent it’ll be okay—whatever happens.

 

*

 

We’re glad that you’ve become happier these days… like it’s not forced. It’s a pleasant change, you know?

But—

He’s not in love with me.

He’s not in love with me.

He’s not in love with me.

“He’s not in love with me,” he blurts out amid the chaos, the game, and Wonwoo looks at him.

He wipes the sweat off his forehead and swings his sword to knock out a camper. “What are you rambling about now?”

“Do you think he’s in love with me? Soonyoung, I mean.”

“Guys!” Seokmin shouts, appearing from behind the bushes, “run!”

Wonwoo swings his sword again, “Gods, Jihoon, he looks at you,” kicks a camper, “like you’re,” ducks before another kick, “the Sun. And believe me, we’re friends with Seokmin, and that… that says a lot.”

Jihoon pants. He doesn’t say another word until after the game ends.

 

*

 

“Do you know that I love you?”

Soonyoung looks like he’s been given the key to a candy shop, and was told that it was his to keep. “Yeah.”

“No, I meant it. I love you.”

“And I love you too,” he leans closer but Jihoon backs away.

“You’re under the manipulation of the mist. You’re not in love with me and when Joshua comes back, this will be over and you won’t remember a thing.”

“Jihoon—”

“But I will. That’s what hurts the most.”

 

*

 

Jihoon is sparring with Minghao when he hears screaming from a group of girls, from Minghao’s half-sisters, he corrects.

“What are they screaming about now?” he stretches. “Junhui going shirtless again? Must be a child of Hecate thing.”

Minghao glares at him. “Like you didn’t fall off the climbing wall when Mingyu was describing a vivid image of Soonyoung shirtless. Nasty, Jihoon.”

“That was one time,” Jihoon’s cheeks turns red. “Anyways, what were they— Oh.”

Minghao turns his head before greeting, “Joshua! You’re back! How was LA, my man?”

“It was fine. Hi, Jihoon,” he waves. “Anyways, about your problem—”

“He’s at the strawberry fields,” he points, “Let’s go fix him.”

“No, wait. About your problem… well there is no problem.”

Minghao lets out an audible ‘huh’. “Explain.”

“He’s fine. I greeted him yesterday—well, he was the first one to do so, by the entrance—and there was nothing wrong with him. There was no mist, and he definitely was not under any manipulation. Right mind and all.”

Jihoon’s clenches his fist, and tears were forming in his eyes. Stupid! How could I be so stupid?

“Hey—” Minghao’s hand finds his way to his shoulder but he shakes it off.

“I’m going to go.”

He runs.

 

*

 

Slap!

Jihoon was so tired that even when he slapped Soonyoung’s face, it didn’t seem to hurt the other at all. Yeah, right, like he could ever hurt Soonyoung. No. Even after what he did to him.

“You lied to me,” he breathes out—like a broken whisper and Soonyoung doesn’t know what to do.

“Jihoon, what—”

“Was it funny? To play with my feelings like that? To use them to see ‘the other side’ of who Jihoon is? Well, you saw him! Congratulations! You hurt me—you broke my ing heart!”

He starts to run away but Soonyoung grabs his wrist. And Gods, it burned. Not in a way fire does, that’s what love feels like. This—it burned like ice. Cold, cold, too much.

“No, please—”

He tries to pull his arm back. “Get away from me.”

 

*

 

Soonyoung knows Jihoon is both tangible and intangible.

He’s no poet but—

The tangible should be loved. For they have been through so many—and yet still have the heart to love and to be loved. It takes them so much courage and he respects that. They are courageous. They still have hope chained to their hearts, as if their heart isn’t already heavy with so many burdens sitting on it.

But then—

The intangible should be loved, too. For they have starved so long for a touch. For an act that tells them you matter. They’re dying to be kissed and Gods know how many kisses there are. But the intangible? They want to be kissed like how rain meets Earth, like how sky meets sea at the end of the sunset. They are fragile so they are wary; but they still have hope brewing in them.

Soonyoung understands why Jihoon is in both categories.

Look, he’s no poet but Jihoon would probably be proud at his analysis.

 

*

 

Soonyoung grips his wrist harder, but not too much because he doesn’t want Jihoon to be even more hurt than he already is.

“Stop cutting me off! Stop trying to run away! Listen, for once. And by the end of this, if you still want to go, then… okay. But please, I am begging to Zeus to let me explain.”

Jihoon stays, but he’s not looking at him.

“Okay. I am hopelessly in love with you. It’s not even funny anymore. And no, this is not the mist talking. If you’re thinking since when? then I’m not sure I can even give you an answer. I’m not sure. Abruptly… but surely, you know? Maybe it’s when you helped me heal after that one quest. Maybe when you we ended up in the same teams during Capture the Flag two summers ago. Maybe it’s when you stood up for me when that mean Hephaestus dude kept calling Nike kids were cheaters. Maybe it was when you fainted from excessive bleeding last summer and I didn’t know what to do—I was so scared. What if I lost you? those were my thoughts.”

Jihoon is still silent.

“Or maybe—just maybe it was during the Fourth of July last summer when you stood there by the beach, and the night sea was reflected in your eyes and our friends’ sparklers made you look… I don’t know… ethereal. Maybe it was at that time, I realize, that every time you give me a reason to love you, it made me fall in love with you all over again.

Ten thousand—that’s how many reasons you gave me.”

Jihoon still hasn’t said anything, opting to bite his lips and clench his jaws. He’s crying.

“And I don’t— Jihoon. I’m sorry. Please don’t cry. When I saw the chance, I took it without thinking about your feelings. I’m really sorry. I don’t expect you to forgive me—”

“Shut up!” Jihoon tackles him and the both fall. He punches the other’s chest weakly while sniffling uncontrollably. “Shut up! Shut up! What were you thinking? If you loved me, you could have told me! I was angry because I thought you were toying with my feelings. Gods, do you know how stupid I feel now because I confessed to you thinking you were under the ing mist?”

Soonyoung laughs and sits up, cupping his face and wiping his tears away. “Okay, okay. I’m stupid for not confessing,” he kisses his forehead before placing Jihoon’s head against his chest.

“You... Gods, you...”

“I love you, too.”

Jihoon whispers an I love you, more against Soonyoung’s chest, but the latter hears it loud and clear.

Ten thousand and one.

 

*

 

When they announced their relationship to their friends at the amphitheatre (because that’s where they hung out most often—first place goes to the dining hall), they cheer, and Junhui pats his own back.

“In a way, I should be thanked for helping the two of you get together. I mean, Jihoon had a crush the size of Jupiter and—”

“Junnie-hyung,” Minghao cuts him off.

“I mean, it worked! Watch out Joshua, I’m taking your place as King of Mist Manipulation.”

“Ha-ha. Funny,” Joshua deadpans.

“You should teach me,” Minghao says, “Even I can’t do that.”

Junhui feigns a gasp. “Darling, what did we say about making people fall in love?”

Minghao sighs. “Only the children of Aphrodite are allowed to do that.”

“That’s right,” Jeonghan laughs.

“Hey!” Jihoon slaps him in the arm, “No one is allowed to do that. You can’t go around making people fall in love. That’s Cupid’s job—”

“—and my mom’s.”

“You can’t make them feel infatuated using the mist. You can’t make them—”

“Mistified,” Wonwoo continues for him.

“Mystified! Wait, was that a ing pun, Jeon Wonwoo?”

Mingyu laughs before pointing at a familiar figure, “Hey, it’s Seungcheol.”

“Seungcheol? But he’s right here,” Jeonghan points to his sleeping boyfriend who’s sleeping with his head on Jeonghan’s lap.

“Then who the is that?”

Seungcheol Number Two salutes at Chiron before winking at two Demeter girls.

“Didn’t Junhui once said about cloning another Seungcheol?”

It’s silent as the realization dawns on everyone. Then—

“WEN JUNHUI. YOU BETTER ING FIX THIS BEFORE I DRAG YOU TO THE UNDERWORLD MYSELF—”

Junhui hides from a raging Jeonghan behind Minghao, who’s not really helping and seems more interested in finishing his snack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

a/n: what the hell even is this